b. Stay away from excessive amounts of diuretics (substances that
dehydrate your body and your vocal cords). Two of the number one culprits
are Alcohol and Caffeine. So think twice before you have that second cup.
Oviously, the most serious problem may be nasal sprays or drops that
invariably dry out those vocal chords just when you need them moist and
flexible.

c. The real serious singer will sleep with a humidifier to make sure
the vocal chords are kept moist during sleep.

2. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

A singer's body is his/her instrument. Mistreat your instrument and it
will show. Make sure to give your body and voice the proper rest it
deserves.

3. Singers must not smoke.

Among other incredible health concerns, smoking dries out the mucous
membrane lining of the nose & throat which adversely affects the
voice. Just "don't" do it!

4. Do not overuse or mistreat the voice.

This would include talking over loud noises such as groups of people
and loud machinery. Just like any other muscle, your vocal membranes and
muscles can suffer from fatigue. In other words, don't talk too much!

It is also stressful to the voice to talk too quickly, so slow it down!
Those people that have no choice but to tax their voices on a daily basis
-- singers, professional speakers, teachers, cheerleaders, auctioneers,
etc. --- need to protect the voice.

b. Leave a few minutes early for the gig or rehearsal so you can focus
prior to the performance. (If this is a new location, be sure you have the
proper directions and contact phone number ready ahead of time.)

c. Develop a habit of warming-up with an organized vocal exercise
program on the way to the gig to properly prepare your voice.

d. Prepare materials to help you during an "off night" or for special
circumstances - lyric books, practice CDs and tapes.

e. Have promotional material such as business cards and flyers
organized so that you can access them easily at the appropriate time.
Marketing yourself as a singer is as much a part of the business as
singing and performing well.

Sorry, that means no chocolate or ice cream, among some other great
tasting foods. These products cause the mucous membrane lining of the
vocal cords to create a great deal of mucous that covers your vocal cords.
In case you can't guess or don't already know, that makes it very hard to
sing well.

7. Keep yourself healthy and virus free.

We suggest eating right, exercising regularly (don't forget that
cardiovascular work to improve your breathing!), and taking a quality
vitamin supplement each and every day! Remember, a singer's body is his or
her instrument! A finely tuned and maintained instrument will perform at a
much higher level than an instrument that has been neglected.

8. Never sing without properly warming up.

If you were running in a marathon, would you begin without stretching
your legs? Of course not. Doing this would risk reduced performance and
possible cramping that would take you completely out of the race. The
muscles associated with the voice organ require the same treatment. Just
like those hamstrings, your voice will reward you for taking the time to
properly warm up before strenuous use.

9. Remember to smile.

Smiling not only helps with tone placement of the singing voice, it
also improves your attitude! Try it! It really works. It's infectious
too!

10. Enjoy life and celebrate every accomplishment no matter how
small it may seem.

Sing for fun, sing because you love it, sing because you can. Share
your voice with the world and enjoy your journey as you learn not just to
sing, but to sing with impact!

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